Review of Ashlee's new album

WhoAmI · October 18th, 2005, 11:52 PM

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EW review: Ashlee's 'I Am' dreadful
By David Browne
Entertainment Weekly

Tuesday, October 18, 2005; Posted: 3:44 p.m. EDT (19:44 GMT)

Let's start with that album title, shall we?

It may be clunky and comical, but for Ashlee Simpson, "I Am Me" is probably a profound statement of defiance -- her way of standing up for herself after her onstage fiascoes and, by insinuation, taking some responsibility for them.

The title is also an extension of her shtick. Sure, she screws up, doesn't always sing in key or dance well, and can't decide on her hair color. But that's okay, because she's a regular person, just like you and me! You have a problem with that?

Not surprisingly, an air of defensiveness and self-pity hangs over Simpson's second album. "Beautifully Broken" ("It seems like yesterday that my world fell from the sky") and "Catch Me When I Fall" allude to life after her post-Saturday Night Live lip-synch train wreck, even if the wound was self-inflicted. In "L.O.V.E.," she implores "all my girls" to gather 'round for support; in "Dancing Alone," she asserts that "it's my life, I'm doing fine."

"Hollywood sucks you in, but it won't spit me out," she semi-snarls in "Boyfriend," which finds Simpson rhyming "for sure" and "my tour," certainly two phrases of equal importance in her universe.

But who is this "me," anyway? Little Ashlee was, of course, never the "bad-ass girl" she claimed to be on her debut, 2004's gangly "Autobiography," which proved definitively that ersatz punk was the new middle-of-the-road pop.

"I Am Me" does at least confirm that she's a producer's dream: a singer of no discernible personality who can be altered to suit the demands of the marketplace. With its shameless knockoffs of Gwen Stefani (the cheerleader bop of "L.O.V.E."), U2 (the stadium-rock throb of "Dancing Alone"), and Fiona Apple (the piano ballad "Catch Me When I Fall"), "I Am Me" practically amounts to a NOW tribute album. Every song feels like a retread of some hit you've heard before, somewhere.

Blaring like Karen O one moment, crooning like a husky version of her sister the next, Simpson (who's listed as a co-writer on the songs) is a pop changeling -- if, in fact, that's her we're actually hearing. The way technology works, you never know.

For sure, Simpson's Svengali, John Shanks, is one cunning producer. The new-wave-y bounce of "Coming Back for More," the funk-punk shimmy of "Boyfriend" (the disc's grabbiest song by far), and the wide-screen hook of "Beautifully Broken" are like studio exercises, ways for Shanks to practice his craft and prepare for his next jobs. (Recently, he's also pumped up Sheryl Crow, Liz Phair, and Alanis Morissette.)

As for the reality-show star at the heart of "I Am Me," it turns out the title song is actually about a breakup, with Simpson telling the insensitive guy who dumped her, "I am me/And I won't change for anyone." Even he must have found that line ironic.

EW Grade: C-

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Musi...son/index.html

Lobelia · October 19th, 2005, 12:02 AM

The 2nd song she "sang" on SNL, Boyfriend...the lyrics said "I didn't steal your boyfriend." Could that be a reference to that silly feud with Lindsay Lohan? Why am I asking this? I despise them both. *smacks self*

olivia720 · October 19th, 2005, 02:18 AM

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Originally Posted by Lobelia

The 2nd song she "sang" on SNL, Boyfriend...the lyrics said "I didn't steal your boyfriend." Could that be a reference to that silly feud with Lindsay Lohan? Why am I asking this? I despise them both. *smacks self*

yes

FierceKiten · October 19th, 2005, 02:23 AM

If I wanted to hear about problems vocal lacking problems and depression, I would have bought Fiona Apple.

beauty_lies8 · October 19th, 2005, 02:27 AM

I liked the review, he didn't trash her. And Lindsay Lohan's CD reviews (last year) read the same way. They both sound like other ppl, they have no clear sound/style of music of their own.

FierceKiten · October 19th, 2005, 02:28 AM

Sorry,Im just an Ashlee Hater, period.

muchlove · October 19th, 2005, 02:32 AM

Fiona Apple has actual talent... Ashlee is dirt under her shoe!

FierceKiten · October 19th, 2005, 02:43 AM

Fiona is awesome, in a derranged way.

child_of_dark · October 19th, 2005, 03:56 AM

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Originally Posted by beauty_lies8

I liked the review, he didn't trash her. And Lindsay Lohan's CD reviews (last year) read the same way. They both sound like other ppl, they have no clear sound/style of music of their own.

he didnt really trash her, for he was probably under obligations not to do so. anyways, the whole article drips with sarcasm.

buttmunch · October 19th, 2005, 06:46 AM

Fiona is deranged, full stop.

stargazer · October 19th, 2005, 09:41 AM

Wow. Someone at EW actually has discerning taste.

Tiara · October 19th, 2005, 10:30 AM

I can imagine!

ourmaninBusan · October 19th, 2005, 10:37 AM

I realize that young singers are going to be with us always --
they're either a curse, foisted on us by showbiz parents,
or they're really, really ambitious like Prince was --
but that doesn't mean they know enough to write songs.
They haven't lived.

travelbug · October 21st, 2005, 10:55 AM

For once, the credit goes to the person who deserves it, John Shanks. Producers and songwriters make the hit songs, all they need is a half-decent vocal enhanced in a studio. In Ashlee's case, extremely enhanced vocals.

I have Lohan's album, and it's got some catchy songs on it. But she has no distinct vocal sound. In some songs she sounds just like Hillary Duff. But there were 3-4 songs off the album that I really liked. I had to listen to "First" over and over the entire summer because my 4 year old son loves Herbie!